At the time of both the first edition (1989) and this current edition (1997) the Internet was not the substantial resource for genealogists that it is today. Although most of the factual information contained in this volume is now available online, those interested will still want to have this reference for its many short overviews of the source materials, and the convenience of having all this information in one place.
Each section is written by a different author, a genealogist certified by the Genealogical Institute of the Maritimes. The following is taken from the preface: "The Genealogist's Handbook for Atlantic Canada Research is intended to be a companion to a similarly named book for research in New England. It is not a methods manual, but a guide to the location of records, repositories and genealogical societies in Atlantic Canada: New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island."
Each geographic section is further broken down into concise subsections (generally 2 pages or less): Historical Overview; Major Archives; Vital Records; Census Records; Land Records; Probate Records; Church Records; Cemetery Records; Immigration; Museums, Libraries and Societies; Newspapers; Periodicals; and Bibliography.
Readers should note the author's statement that the book is not a methods manual. Inside you'll find no general advice, subjective analysis or professional insights. Rather, this handbook is a list of what resources exist, generally why they exist, the time periods they cover, and the information they contain. References are given to books with more in-depth information on certain topics. The extensive bibliographies are a highlight.
Information on emigration from the 5 provinces is evidently considered outside the scope of the work and therefore not mentioned. One rather glaring omission is the lack of any information on the native peoples of Atlantic Canada. Those interested should note that ethnic origin was specified for all individuals enumerated on federal Censes. Indian Censes also exist.
Although the focus of the handbook is on resources within Atlantic Canada, other repositories exist. In a postscript, the publisher, the New England Historic Genealogical Society, notes that they have microform copies of all extant Canadian federal censes through 1901, in addition to other resources. Although noted only once (on p25) the family history centers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also have much of this information.
Although not a standalone work, this handbook is a worthwhile addition to any interested researcher's library.
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